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Steve Bruce hopeful Aston Villa win 'shuts up' the critics

Steve Bruce hopes victory over Rotherham might have 'shut up' some of his critics after watching Villa bounce into the Championship top six.

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Last night’s 2-0 win over the Millers eased some of the pressure on the Villa boss, who had seen a section of the club’s support begin calling for his head during a five-game winless run.

Bruce remains convinced the majority of fans are still on his side and said: “I have got four promotions, last year I nearly had a fifth. Yet I don’t know what I am doing?

"Unfortunately it filters through the mad few.

“We are Villa and the expectation and belief is huge but common sense is needed.

“The vast majority of supporters are right behind what we are trying to do. You can feel it in the stadium. If they wanted me out, the stadium would have erupted with it before the start.

“The supporters can see we had a bloody awful performance at Sheffield. Now we are sitting in sixth. I hope it shuts a few up. But I doubt it.”

New boys Tammy Abraham and Yannick Bolasie bagged their first goals for the club as Villa recorded their first win since last month’s 3-2 home victory over Wigan.

They also claimed a first league clean sheet of the campaign thanks to a performance which was a significant improvement on recent weeks.

“I am delighted for them. They will be good players for us,” said Bruce. “The type which will get you off your seat. The first goal was great from three of them, a great ball from Jack Grealish, a great ball from Jonathan Kodjia and a great finish.

“I’m pleased for them. With all the nonsense which has been written the right response was to win.

“I think my record speaks for itself. They all need a chance to settle in but when they do I know we are going to be there or thereabouts again.

“The nonsense, I can’t stop. But I will do, given time.”

Villa will host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and Bruce hopes some of the “nonsense” regarding his position might now stop.

He continued: “I think we have been close, apart from two games - Sheffield United and the cup game, when I made nine changes.

“Apart from that I thought we looked a decent team against Ipswich, a very decent team against Brentford.

“Reading we conceded in the last few minutes. The most intelligent people will see all through the nonsense and see we have the makings of a decent team.”